'Breaking Bad' provided one of the most satisfying series finales in recent memory, with fitting endings for Jesse (Aaron Paul, left) and Walt (Bryan Cranston).(Photo: Frank Ockenfels, AMC)

Written by

Robert Bianco, USA TODAY

From Bad to worst, USA TODAY takes you through the highs and lows of the TV year. (Want to keep talking TV? Ask Robert Bianco about his picks in Monday's Critic's Corner chat at 2 p.m. ET.)

Program of the year: Breaking Bad (AMC)

With a short outing that felt more like a self-contained miniseries coda than a final batch of episodes, this gold-standard drama brought to a close its remarkable run. It was one made all the more remarkable for neither ending too soon, before the story could be fully explored, nor running too long, after our interest had been exhausted. Never have the moral and personal ...